


Crossing Bridges

by queen_scribbles



Series: Straight Up Truth [8]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-13 01:23:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16007348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queen_scribbles/pseuds/queen_scribbles
Summary: Sometimes a girl just wants to adopt a giant orphaned bird.





	Crossing Bridges

 

“Remind me again what we’re doing here?” Theron’s boot slipped as he asked and he had to slap a hand down against the rock to keep from falling.

“Resources,” Jaaide called back from a few feet above him, almost spread-eagle between two rocks as she climbed higher still.

“Resources,” Theron echoed under his breath before pitching louder. “Don’t you have better things to do than scrounge for resources, _Commander_?”

“Yes,” Jaaide said plainly, grinning down at him over her shoulder. The wind picked up, ruffling her hair into a golden halo he found it hard to look away from.

“So this is more running away from Lana and the never-ending, super important to do list?”

“Yes.” It was just as unabashed as the first. “I need a break, Theron. At least from the galaxy altering, life-or-death, commander decisions.”

“That’s fair,” he nodded, scanning for another handhold as she widened the gap between them. “But I do have to wonder what sort of resources you’re expecting to find here. On Balmorra. Next to this lovely toxic lake.”

She laughed, letting go with one hand to tuck her hair behind her ear.  “Abandoned supply caches, mostly. This seems like the type of terrain where the resistance would hide things.” With a last burst of effort and  _“ha”_ of triumph, she pulled herself on top of the rocks. She vanished briefly before reappearing and extending a hand toward him. “Come on. I’ll give you a boost.”

Theron chuckled and pushed himself high enough to accept the offered hand. “Thanks.”

Between her pulling and him finding footholds, soon they were both atop the rocks. Which actually turned out to be  edging a rather pretty plateau. There were two nests tucked along the rim that obviously belonged to something big-ish, but otherwise, there were no signs of life.

“You know Lana’s going to give your grief for running off like this,” he felt obligated to point out, even as he enjoyed the view.

“Probably even more for dragging you with me. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. Come on, let’s see if we can find anything.” Jaaide pulled a pair of scanners from her pack and handed one to him. “Take your time.”

“Yes ma’am, Commander ma’am,” Theron teased, mock-saluting with his free hand, and she whacked his arm playfully before they set to work. After half an hour of companionable but unfruitful silence, Jaaide finally signaled they could give up. 

“They wouldn’t hide things that well.” she explained.  “We can... probably... go...” Her attention drifted to something behind him, and she was moving even as her sentence trailed off.

“Jaaide?” Theron pivoted on the heel of one boot and followed her path with his eyes. “Oh.”

The half-eaten and bloody carcass of something feathered lay scattered across the rocks on the far side of one nest. Upon closer examination as he trailed after Jaaide, Theron could see two of the three eggs had been smashed to goo. The third was untouched. And Jaaide was in the process of shifting things around in her pack to best cradle the fragile orb.

“Um, Jaaide, do you think that’s a good idea?” He reached her and crouched on the rocky ledge by the nest. “What if it’s something predatory and _mean_?”

“We can cross that bridge when we get back to the ship,” she said, laughing slightly at his phrasing. “For now, help me get down from here without breaking it.”

That proved to be significantly easier said than done, but they _did_ manage to get all the way back to Jaaide’s ship without breaking the egg. As soon as she’d secured their new cargo and Theron had gotten them through atmosphere and into hyperspace, the two spies flopped down together on one of the bench seats, datapads in hand.

“Ten credits say I find it first,” Theron challenged, shifting slightly so her shoulder wasn’t digging into his arm.

“Deal,” Jaaide retorted, changing position entirely so her spine pressed against his shoulder and her legs dangled off the side of the seat. “Twenty say not only do I find it first, it’s docile rather than mean.”

“Deal,” he agreed, and silence fell over the ship. It only took a minute and twenty three seconds for him to regret their wager.

“Ha!” Jaaide crowed turning around and shoving her datapad in his face. “Read it and weep.”

“Very mature,” he deadpanned as he scanned the screen. “You win. I’ll pay you when we get back to Odessen.”

“Alright. I think I can trust you for that.” Jaaide smirked. “And if I _can’t,_ there are other ways to exact my payment.” She tugged on the collar of his jacket until he was close enough she could kiss him on the cheek, then resumed her former position to continue scanning the compiled information about their unhatched passenger. “Orobirds; orokeets when they’re young. Native to... well, several planets, including Balmorra. Flightless. Stars, they get big.... Oh, Theron, look how cute the babies are.”

Theron sighed, schooling back a wince as he turned to look at the datapad once more being extended in his direction. He knew that tone. “You want to hatch it, don’t you?”

“Little bit, yeah,” Jaaide giggled at the look he gave her. “Alright, rather badly.”

“How would we even do that? The species doesn’t live on Odessen--okay, they _are_ cute--and the Alliance doesn’t exactly have large bird incubators lying around.”

“Oh, we don’t?” she mock-pouted. “What a shock.” 

“No, they didn’t rank highly enough on the equipment priority list,” Theron deadpanned.

Jaaide rolled her eyes. “Well, then, I’ll have to come up with something _else,_ won’t I?”

He smiled and kissed the top of her head. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

That bought several minutes of silence as Jaaide thought furiously to come up with an alternate solution. Theron used the time to start checking the reports coming in from Alliance agents  on some of the more far-flung worlds they were monitoring. After about five minutes of deep thought--complete with the hair twirling and lip biting her found _entirely_ too adorable--Jaaide straightened abruptly.

“Tatooine,” she blurted, almost dropping her datapad as she spun around to kneel on the bench seat facing him. “A lot of the buildings in and around the Dune Sea use solar panels for at least part of their power. Some of the older models it gets warm enough underneath to serve as a makeshift incubator. And it shouldn’t take long’ I think the egg is pretty close to hatching.”

Theron leaned his head back and fought the urge to  groan. “First, I feel compelled to lodge the obligatory protest of _‘Ugh Tatooine’_. Second, with how big they get, are you sure this is a good idea? Where are we gonna keep this thing once it gets bigger?”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Jaaide said, grinning as she leaned closer to whisper, “Please,” right by his ear in that breathy voice she _knew_ he couldn’t resist.

“I’ll go change course,” Theron sighed, stealing a kiss as he pushed to his feet.   
“You fight dirty, woman.”

Jaaide winked. “It’s part of my charm.”

Theron rolled his eyes because she was right and headed for the cockpit to punch in Tatooine as their new destination.

** <O> <O> <O>**

Jaaide’s plan worked like a charm. Unfortunately, the only building they found that still used the old solar panels necessary for it to succeed was a former Czerka base, overrun with Exchange thugs. Which meant sneaking their way in and Theron standing guard while Jaaide sat in the small crawlspace with the egg. Theron could feel the heat against his back even standing a foot or two away.

“You’re going to drink all our water hen you get out of there, aren’t you?” he asked, fingers twitching against his blaster.

“Most likely, yes,” Jaaide confirmed, sounding slightly breathless. “But we’re going right back to the ship after this, so it shouldn’t be a problem.” 

They both fell silent again, hoping that tucked back in a corner they would escape notice. For the most part they were lucky. One burly thug with a vibroblade wandered close enough to get suspicious, and Theron’s attempt to silence him without drawing attention worked, but cost him a shallow, ragged cut across one bicep.

“You alright out there?” Jaaide called not-quite-loudly, having heard the scuffle.

“Just fine,” Theron promised, dragging the thug out of sight. “That egg hatch yet?”

In answer, there was a cracking sound, Jaaide letting out the most adorable _coo_ of excitement ever heard from a human being, and a second coo that was definitely not human. A few seconds later, Jaaide emerged from the crawlspace, hair sticking to her face and neck, cheeks flush from the heat, and cradling a slightly slimy green-feathered orokeet in one arm.

“That thing’s gonna take one look at you and think you’re its mom,” Theron pointed out, amused, as he hauled her to her feet, playfully tugging her sleeve.

“And that’s fine with me,” Jaaide retorted, raking her bangs back from her face. “Let’s go.”

She was so focused on the freshly-hatched orokeet she didn’t even notice his arm until they had made it to the hanger, a level of distraction Theron felt obligated to needle her about as they made their way up the ramp to the ship. She just smiled and pointed him toward the medbay as she headed for the cargo hold to settle her new pet somewhere comfortable. By the time she joined him, Theron had pulled off his jacket and was glaring at the hole in the sleeve.

“Good to see your priorities are in order,” she teased, reaching for the case of bacta patches. 

“This is nothing,” Theron said grouchily, nodding toward the gash in his arm. “I’ve had way worse, and I know you’re a damn good patcher-upper.”

“The word you’re looking for is _medic_ , darling, and you’ve given me ample opportunity to practice.”

“You were plenty good when we first met,” he contradicted. “My point is, I know _I’ll_ be fine.”

“Much as I appreciate your faith in me, I’m sure there’s someone on Odessen who knows how to sew,” Jaaide said fondly, cleaning the blood off his arm and peeling open a bacta patch. “In the meantime, however, I somewhat enjoy you in just a tank top...”

Theron chuckled, holding still long enough for her to apply the patch before pulling her closer and settling his arms around her waist. “Only somewhat, huh?” I must be slipping.”

“Allow me to rephrase,” she murmured, resting her hands on his shoulders and leaning in closer still. “I _very much_ enjoy it.”

“That’s more like it,” he teased in an undertone and Jaaide was smirking as her fingers dug in to his shirt and pulled him the final inch into a kiss. “Mm... Good to see our sacrifice wasn’t in vain,” he ribbed, freeing one arm to poke two fingers out through the hole and wiggle them.

Jaaide giggled, forehead still resting against his. “Yes, Keke and I appreciate your valiant guardianship and sacrifice.”

“Keke?” Theron drawled. “As in oro _kee_ t?”

“I’m good with plans, not names,” she laughed defensively, flashing a sheepish smile. “I fear for my future children.”

It took a second, but both of them froze when her words sank in. Breath catching sharply in the same moment, Jaaide’s hands flexed against Theron’s chest and his tightened briefly around her waist.

Finally she managed to mumble, “Theron, I-”

“Shh.” He stole a quick kiss. “I know what you meant. And while kids is a discussion I’m open to having once things are more... settled, that’s quite a ways down the road. We’ll-”

“Cross that bridge when we come to it,” Jaaide finished with him, smiling softly. “Deal. For now, we can stick to raising a bird not known for its intelligence and see how that goes.”

Theron chuckled as he nodded. “Deal. And you’re doing a good job with the Alliance, so this should be a piece of cake.”

Jaaide laughed. “Famous last words, darling.”

Theron shrugged--”We’ll see”--and pulled her in for another kiss.


End file.
